1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an alarm system for warning of the occurrence of an event at an island of game machines in an amusement arcade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally in an amusement arcade where many game machines such as pachinko game machines and slot machines are installed in units of islands, each island includes one or two rows of the same kind of game machines. These game machine islands are arranged parallel to one another.
In an amusement arcade, an abnormality may occur with an individual game machine, and such an abnormal condition should be remedied as soon as possible. To supervise the occurrence of an abnormal condition and to repair the abnormal condition, a plurality of arcade attendants are alerted, usually one for each island. Consequently it would be difficult for each attendants to watch individual game machines within the island.
To this end, it has been a common practice to provide indicator lamps at both ends of every game machine island for warning of the occurrence of an abnormal condition or event within the island. In this event, for example, arcade attendants can realize the occurrence of the abnormal condition when an alarm switch is depressed by a player, or in response to the activation of a sensor mounted in an individual game machine.
However, since the conventional indicator lamps are located only at both ends of each game machine island, it would take rather a long time for the attendants to notice the occurrence of an abnormality when patrolling along the path between adjacent parallel islands, during which time the indicator lamps are beyond the attendant's field of vision.
Further since the conventional indicator lamps merely light or flash when activated, the keeper can obtain no information other than that an abnormality has occurred.